Good-government groups urge override of vetoes

SPRINGFIELD - Eight good-government groups are urging lawmakers in an open letter to reject changes Gov. Rod Blagojevich made to two campaign finance-reform bills.

The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, Illinois PIRG and others say Blagojevich's amendatory vetoes are "maneuvers designed to undermine or kill" the legislation. Legislators will consider the vetoes this fall.

One measure banned political contributions from those with government contracts of $50,000 or more to the officeholder overseeing the contract.

Blagojevich changed it to prohibit contributions to any officeholder and made other changes and used another bill to ban contributions from anyone who holds a government job.